Soroptimist International awards 3 women at luncheon

Soroptimist International of Amarillo will have its Awards Luncheon on Wednesday at the Amarillo Club to name the Women’s Opportunity Award, Violet Richardson Award and Soroptimist Ruby Award winners.

SI of Amarillo will be honoring Candace Bailey of Amarillo as their Women’s Opportunity Award winner. As a club-level recipient, Bailey became eligible and won District III of the South Central Region and South Central Region awards.

The first place region recipients become candidates for one of three finalist awards. This program is a major service project of Soroptimist International of the Americas to help women improve their ability to provide for their families.

Each year, more than $1 million is provided in cash grants to women in need, who serve as the primary wage earners for their families with the financial resources to offset costs associated with their efforts to attain higher education or additional skills and training.

The award can be used for tuition, books, childcare, carfare or any other education-related expense.

Since the program’s inception in 1972, approximately $15 million in Women’s Opportunity Awards has been disbursed to about 25,000 women throughout the countries served by Soroptimist International of the America’s.

SI Amarillo also participates in Soroptimist’s Violet Richardson Award program, which was created in 2000 as a way to recognize girls for their volunteer service to their communities. The program honors young women between the ages of 14 and 17 for their volunteer efforts. Sydnie Gregory of Amarillo is a volunteer for United Way, through which she implemented a mentoring program of high school students to work with elementary students.

Volunteering helped change her life. She is the Amarillo Club-level recipient as well as becoming eligible and winning District III of South Central Region and South Central Region awards. The United Way will also receive a contribution in honor of Sydnie. She will be one of 28 finalist vying for an additional award at the federation level, which will also include a contribution to the finalist’s volunteer organization.

The Soroptimist Ruby Award “Women Helping Women” honors women who work to improve the lives of women and girls through their professional and/or volunteer work. These women’s efforts help promote issues that are important to Soroptimist. SI Amarillo will honor Connie Garrett as their Soroptimist Ruby Award winner for 2012.

Garrett became involved in the Sharing Hope Ministry almost 13 years ago when she heard about a pen-pal program — writing letters to incarcerated women. She was instrumental in helping make Patsy’s Place a reality in our community.

A ruby also is a deep red gemstone associated with wisdom, importance, vitality, strength, vivacity, power and love: all words embodying the strong and compassionate women who become Soroptimist award winners. The Soroptimist International of Amarillo Club, part of Soroptimist International of the Americas, is dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls, in local communities and throughout the world.